For the Good of Malawi, APM Deserves Another Term

Malawi is currently at a crossroads. Why? We have problems affecting many sectors that it appears very few want to understand the root cause and what the current regime is doing to address them. Great things, for the benefit of the current and future generations are going on but typical of a nation full of negativity, Malawians are being swayed by popular opinion from mainly the so called social media commentators and biased activists. In view of this,it is only health to defend nothing but the truth and this is the reality that very few well meaning Malawians would want to share.

To begin with, it must be obvious to any keen observer that APM took over leadership from a government which was heavily characterised by corruption, famous for cashgate at its peak. This was the craziest moment Malawi has ever faced in as far as theft of public funds is concerned. This however does not mean that prior to that and after, corruption had been less. Not at all. APM as honest as he is has on several occasions acknowledged how severe the problem is, calling on Malawians to fully support his government in the fight against the vice.

Cabinet Minister and top DPP official Nankhumwa: Once summoned by ACB

The ongoing prosecution of former minister of Agriculture and the recent clearing of Kondwani Nankhumwa over his alleged 17 million corruption by ACB, all senior people within the file and ranks of DPP and government is a clear testimony of APM’s zero tolerance against corruption. But wait a minute; noise makers think otherwise.

They are so naive to expect APM to fish out those suspected of corruption and yet we have functioning governance structures from Fiscal police, ACB, etc.

I once submitted a suspected corruption case to ACB through their anonymous online system but two years later, no response? I don’t think that APM sat in the middle of this issue but rather ACB’s inefficiency.

As I am writing, members of the Civil society are on Goodall Gondwe’s neck over the alleged 4 Billion Kwacha case but why they have chosen to overlook the subsequent role that the whole August House played in authorising the deal shows how selective and hell bent these organisations are in simply bringing down APM government.

Memories are still fresh of how the civil society brought down the late Bingu Wa Mutharika but chose to remain quiet during Joyce Banda’s rule, then resurfaced when Bingu’s brother ascended into power. Is this fight against DPP or real? This hatred and sheer efforts to mislead the nation through selective criticism among others will only continue to take this country nowhere.

Currently, APM has implemented several reforms in various sectors. For instance, in education through the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) to ensure quality higher education. The list of reforms is endless. It is the same Malawians who have continued to suffocate these efforts. An example is the case of the road traffic authority system.Which President has ever made such a bold step to believe that automation can improve operations and reduce corruption? But who exactly is bringing down the system? Isn’t it the very same Malawians who APM is trying to serve every living moment of his stay at state house? Let’s be fair Malawians. Do we also expect him to physically police road traffic department?

Chilima: The Most Active Vice President in History

Meanwhile, Saulosi Chilima has been the most active vice president since the dawn of multi party and what is it this if it is not APM’s quality leadership and unselfishness? It’s so pathetic that some unpatriotic Malawians want to portray that Chilima has been abused and no longer works confortably, is that true?If there is politics in DPP, it may be among several party members and not just between Chilima and APM and this is the same with UDF, PP and MCP. For how long shall we mislead the nation and for whose benefit? The rest is history.

It doesn’t require rocket science to understand that previous regimes have failed this nation on power issues beginning with MCP. Who does not after all know that population keeps growing and that they should have planned for the booming population, and yet the current Kammwamba coal and other power projects seem not to be seen by our critical observers from the opposition and civil society. These are costly and complex projects that can technically not be implemented within a month.

But I have never heard anyone making creative suggestions on what exactly the government must do to resolve power issues except with ongoing blame games, really? What exactly would Chakwera do to resolve this? He has never made any proposal but criticism. I expect any truly patriotic leader to offer suggestions and not wait until they get elected. It tells a different story.

On illegal firings of public officers, we all know that former presidents used to illegally fire people and subsequently pay hefty sums of money for breach of contracts. How perks Ligoya was fired and paid the same by JB’s regime soon after she ascended to power remains a fresh memory. In contrast, regardless of the cashgate links, APM had maintained Charles Chuka, an JB appointee until when his contract expired. This is just one example on how APM has treaded carefully on sensitive issues. APM’s patience and composure is a plus for this nation but it will take an iron fist for naysayers to understand why calmness is a train for quality leadership.

It is high time Malawians listened with caution, advices made by the leader of opposition and the self acclaimed activists most of them who don’t understand how complex it can be to manage a country like Malawi. For instance, if Chakwera is visionary, why did he press APM to lift the ban on maize exports?

How many reckless blunders should we expect once voted into power. Nobody now wants to heap praise on APM after that bold decision simply because of the same hatred. I also keep smiling and wonder why some quarters still make noise about tribalism.

Malawians ought to remember and see how influential positions are proportionally distributed. Talk of finance ministry, judiciary, former ACB director, Malawi University of Science and Technology vice chancellor, Kamuzu College of nursing and Chancellor College principals. I will be tired to exhaust the list that haters choose to pay a blind eye to.

I acknowledge ongoing challenges that the country is going through but it will require some seriousness to understand dynamics. This baseless hate will not take us anywhere. Of course APM can do better by eliminating subsidies and invest the money in Greenbelt Trust, the proceeds of which can be deposited into ADMARC and sold to the poor at low prices, with high regulation. Continued freebies will not take this country anywhere.

Malawi’s Mercenary CSO’s: Their Lack of Creativity Mislead The Nation

And again, members of the civil society if at all they are honest could dig on issues like quality construction of roads because a majority of players in construction industries seem to be corrupt and hence substandard work in some road projects.

This is beyond the reach of APM as there are institutions established to manage that but seem not to care. This is why roads keep developing potholes a few weeks after construction. Do we still blame APM? NGOs must stop fire fighting but rather aggressively follow up on how projects are being implemented using taxpayers money than wait for issues to happen like the 4 billion kwacha scandal.

The issue of youth development through technical colleges among others has been widely spoken and we all can see the results. This is important.If power issues are resolved by 2019, we expect surplus energy which these youths can use for their jobs. It is wrong to mock APM for these on the basis that these guys have no capital or markets. This is a process. Which country has ever developed with white collar jobs only if any? Infrastructure development is everywhere for any sane Malawian to see and what else do Malawians need from a man who is relying on the very few resources and grants to develop the country?

Any challenges like corruption is not a one man battle just like fixing issues which have been neglected for a many years cannot be possible to fix within four years APM has been in power.

For the sake of continuity of current projects, I plead with Malawians to vote APM in

China has just extended to life term the current leader’s rule. Russia just re-elected Putin and Angela Merkel of Germany has been there for many terms. We must not be fooled to believe that these two term limits are the best for Malawi when other advanced countries are demonstrating different models of governance for the benefit their countries.

The current challenges are here for us to face head on objectively. Let us debate but it’s up to us to define our destiny with practical and not theoretical leadership. Let me also remind the civil society to become more productive and not just copy and pastes of what is going on the western world. We live in different contexts. Ask for audience with the government to check our priorities. I hope the civil society reads important documents like MDGs and other policies to appreciate how these are being implemented.

I can prophesy here that if DPP loses the next election, which I doubt, it won’t take long before the Bingu wa Mutharika scenario, which compelled Malawians to vote again DPP from the opposition resurfaces.

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55 Responses to "For the Good of Malawi, APM Deserves Another Term"

Your list of achievements Senior Chief are laughable, in light of credible global ratings by World Bank. In the last 4 years, under DPP reign, Malawi has slided to the poorest country in the world (7 out of 10 are categorised as poor; 1 out 3 go to bed hungry), Corruption Index is at its worst it has been, healthy and education have collapsed and so has the rule of law. ACB, Police and Directorate of Public Prosecutions, are all dysfunctional, poorly resourced and compromised. Crime and corruption are at their highest levels in years. If anyone ever writes or talks about Malawi being in the right space deserves to have his brain tested. You really are taking Malawians for fools.